Top 5 tips for long lasting flowers

You got flowers! Awesome!

There’s nothing like having fresh flowers in the house. Everything seems just a little bit fresher and it Smells. So. Good. Now, I hear you wondering, how do I make my flowers last longer? because I would like to them to stay like this forever and ever thank you. Here we have a look at the top 5 tips for long lasting flowers. Its our super simple, no frills guide to what florist do to keep flowers fresh…

1: Keep it clean - squeaky, squeaky clean

This is the most important step you can take to ensure your flowers are long lasting.
Before you unwrap your beautiful bunch and put it in a vase give that vase a wash. Scrub with hot water and dishwashing liquid. If you know your vases are up to it you can run them through the dishwasher, if you’re feeling extra vigilant you can wash with bleach

I hate doing the dishes! Do I have to wash the vase?
Bacteria loves wet dirty places and feeding on organic material like flowers

To Summarise: Wash that vase. The less bacteria we introduce, the less bacteria will be dining out on your bouquet and shortening its life

2: Trim the stems

Transporting flowers from A to B often means taking the flowers out of water. Exposing flowers stems to air dries them out, dry stems aren’t able to drink water as readily as fresh stems. Ensure your flowers can drink the water you will lovingly prepare for them by grabbing a pair of scissors and cutting each stem.

Remove approx 1cm from the end of each stem
Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the stem

If you notice that a stem is still dry or discoloured cut a bit further up the stem to expose healthy fresh cells so your flowers can take a nice big drink and keep hydrated

Do I need to cut the stems on an angle?
If you have the time and your scissors are sharp enough cut at a 45 degree angle.
As a rule stems that are hard and woody like Roses, Chrysanthemums and Magnolia do benefit from being cut on an angle. Soft fleshy stems like Daffodils and Gerberas will do better with a straight cut

To Sum it up: If your flowers have been out of water cut the stems. It doesn’t really matter which way you cut the stems so long as you do it. The less greenery in the water the better, make sure there are no leaves under the water.

3: Just add water - Simple

Yep, just plain water, straight out of the tap

Pro tip - Warm water will encourage your flowers to open more quickly if you need them to look their best for an event

How much water should I put in the vase?
With most things floral I am a strong advocate of more is more, when it comes to water in your vase this isn’t the best policy. Too much water and your stems will become water logged and go mushy and slimy.

So how much then?
Cover around 1/3 - 1/2 of the stems with water. If your flowers are tied with string make sure the water stops below the string. Its better to have a small amount of water changed and topped up frequently than a huge amount that never gets changed.

Pro tip - Gerberas prefer even less water. They will do best in water around 5cm deep

Should I add anything to the water, what about flower food?
If you have a packet of flower food a.k.a flower preservative now is a good time to put it into the water. Flower food will provide your flowers with nutrition while keeping bacteria down. It is especially beneficial for Roses and other flowers with hard stems, not so beneficial for very soft stems

My Gran said adding sugar, or bleach, a copper coin, or the hair of a rabbit caught at the full moon in a net made of cornflakes is the only way to ensure long lasting flowers, is this legit?
Yes and No. If you’ve got a trick that you SWEAR by then hooray keep on doing it. Since we’re taking a no frills approach today I will say that none of these will make a massive difference

To summarise: Plain water is fine so long as your vase is clean. Cover around half of the stems in water. Flower food is nice but not essential

4: Change the water - Keep it fresh

Hmmmm * sniffs * what’s that smell?
Flowers that have been in the same water for a week!
Any florist will tell you this is one of the worst smells ever. Your flowers have started their natural process breaking down and bacteria have been have a right old feast

How often do I need to change the water?
Every 2-3 days.
Wash and rinse your vase
Recut a small amount from the stems
Refill with clean water
If you want to change the water every day great! Gold star for you

What if I can’t take the flowers out of the vase?
If you’ve been lucky enough to receive a luxe vase arrangement you might be a little hesitant to take the flowers out of the vase. You can still keep the water fresh, an easy solution is to sit the whole vase in the sink, run the tap directly into the vase until the water over-flows, keep the water running for a few minutes to ensure all the old water has been flushed out, tilt the vase to the side to tip out the excess.

In a nutshell: Change the water every couple of days and keep the vase clean

5: Shelter your flowers from the sun and wind

Just like fresh vegetables, flowers will significantly slow their development and stay “crisp” when the temperature and light is low. They will last the longest in a place where the temperature is consistently cool…..like in a fridge. Since none of us live in a flower cooler its best to keep your flowers somewhere relatively cool. Placing them in direct sunlight or in a very warm room with little air circulation will shorten their life and also speed up the development of bacteria in your vase.

Some flowers are more robust than others, but all will last longer if they are keep out of the wind. A strong breeze or the draft from air conditioning vents or heat pumps will dry out your flowers quickly

To review: Keep your flowers out of the sun and wind and out of the direct path of heating and cooling

These simple steps will keep your flowers around for longer, but…

Beauty is fleeting. Some of the most special and treasured blooms each season are quick to depart and there is little we can do stop it. That is exactly why they are so special. Embrace the changing nature of your flowers, watch as colours deepen or fade, petals open and drop. Some fallen petals scattered on the table are a charming addition to an arrangement, very casual and very chic indeed.